


alone with you, home with you

by mendeshoney



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 19:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21213995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mendeshoney/pseuds/mendeshoney
Summary: Loosely based on two prompts from @dailyau and @anonymoussong on tumblr. "I got up at 2 am to get some snacks at the convenience store down the street and opened my door to find you trying to sleep on the floor of the hallway because your roommate has his fiancée over so i guess i’ll lend you my couch for the night AU" and "We live in the same building and you’re locked out of your place in your underwear because you were doing laundry and forgot your key AU"





	alone with you, home with you

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to note this was written and posted originally to tumblr prior to the recent incidences. I am "renovating" my blog there and wanted to archive this somewhere.

You **_love_** living in apartment 50-N. You love everything about your apartment. From the french double doors connecting your one bedroom to your living room, the one brick wall your bed lay in front of, the hardwood floors, the AC, your precious kitchen you spent weeks on trying to make it look like something Joanna Gaines would envy, to the hours you spent in IKEA trying to meticulously make your place look like something out of its catalog. 

Living on your own has taught you so much. You had moved in when you were a sophomore in undergrad, and now you were in grad school, working on your career in video production, and the peace and quiet of 50N that you lovingly dubbed “The Menagerie” is the place where you’d gained independence, and a new sense of self for the better.

Your apartment building was near everything you needed it to be. A grocery store, the transit, a convenience store on the corner, even a McDonald’s and Taco Bell were nearby in case things got desperate for you.

It didn’t hurt that your neighbors were amazing as well. There were fifteen units on your floor and out of the fifteen, only five were vacant. The other five had either recently been vacated, were being used for AirBnBs, or were in the process of being renovated. Units 50-A, B, and C were all grad students like yourself who you saw on campus sometimes. You guys were friendly enough, and sometimes hung out on weekends when you were all free. 

Units D and E were nice old women who grew up in the neighborhood, and were best friends. Mrs. Pucci from unit D was Italian and often made food for you and units A, B, and C to make sure you guys were always well fed. Mrs. Velez from unit E was from Ecuador and you happily accepted the patacones she made almost every other day.

Unit F, G, J, L, and M were all vacant. 

The only other units you knew were unit H, which was where Mr. Delmar and his daughter Lena lived, and unit O, the one next to yours that you knew was the biggest on the floor. It was tucked away down the hall and was the last door, and from what you saw from when they left it open before the new tenants moved in, it had two large bedrooms, two large bathrooms, a large living room, small dining area, and a kitchen you would’ve loved to have been able to get your hands on.

You tried to shove that envy to the side when Auston and Mitch arrived a couple of years ago.

~

It was near the end of your junior year when two boisterous boys began moving in to 50-O.

You knew who they were, vaguely. Hockey players, important to the city of Toronto, “like gods” Mr. Delmar had said.

It wasn’t until you came home after class, struggling to balance your camera equipment and your groceries as you tried to open your door, that you were properly introduced. 

Mitch and Auston grabbed your things and helped you out, following obediently as you opened your door, setting things down in your kitchen.

“This is nice.” Auston had said, eyeing your space appreciatively. 

“Really cozy,” Mitch agreed. “And it smells nice. Like cookies.”

You flushed. “I baked some this morning before video lab.” And because you didn’t know how to control yourself, you said “I have extra, if you’d like.”

They happily accepted, and you sent them home with a dozen chocolate chip cookies in a Tupperware container you really couldn’t afford to give them, but did anyway. 

You knew from what little information you gathered from Mr. Delmar, Lena, and Kassidy in 50-A that the boys were fairly new to the team, but quick friends and extremely close. 

Devon in 50-C kept making excuses to come see you so she could take a peek at the boys as they were coming in or heading out, but after Mitch’s girlfriend, Stephanie, came around for the first time, she backed off.

And since then, they’ve been the best neighbors, and great friends to you. They don’t party too hard, are always kind and courteous, invite you for dinner and invite themselves over to your place when appropriate. 

They’ve even helped you with coursework. Sometimes they get someone from their video team to review your work via email, and it’s nice to have a beta editor who knows what they’re talking about.

There have been countless times where they’ve knocked on your door for the most minute things, like sugar, milk, bread, shampoo, toilet paper, and other times have been more incessant, asking you to settle a disagreement or judge something.

They’re the most active neighbors you’ve had, and it’s a nice change.

One time, you shared your precious patacones with Auston, and told Mrs. Velez how much he loves them. From that moment on, Mrs. Velez started to bring Auston little dishes here and there, just to make sure he doesn’t miss his mom too much, and you could’ve sworn you saw him cry the first time she brought him Arroz con Pollo.

There was another time where Auston was out with an injury for four to six weeks, and had to stay back in Toronto while the rest of the team went on a road trip. 

You knew what that felt like, mostly thinking back to the time you had a concussion when you were thirteen and couldn’t play soccer for a month. 

So you extended an invitation to your place if he ever needed company, and he accepted.

The team was only on the road for a week and a half, but you spent nearly every day with Auston. Sometimes he’d just nap on your couch, sometimes he’d come over for dinner, watch you edit your videos, even let you film him randomly when you needed to test out your camera settings. 

He tried to teach you how to play that weird NHL video game he and Mitch always played, helped him with laundry, and taught him how to make mofongo the way you learned it from Mrs. Velez, just in case he needed a meal in his back pocket.

It was nice, keeping him company and having company there when you got home from class or needed a break from staring at your screen and endlessly fiddling with your camera.

It helped a little that you found Auston to be really endearing when he wanted to be. 

And in the off season, when it’s just Mitch and Stephanie, and Auston goes home to Arizona in the summer, it’s nice to spend time with the two of them when they have family over for dinner, even though you miss having Auston around sometimes to even things out.

You’re surprised at first with how much they interact with you, mostly because you’ve never interacted with your other neighbors this much, no matter how long you’ve been living there. But you quickly realize that Mitch is just friendly, extremely so, so you welcome it.

You welcomed Auston and Mitch like you’d known them for years, and they did the same to you. 

~

It’s right before the season starts this year, and your accelerated Masters Program begins, that Mitch invites you over one night for dinner. Auston’s there, tanned and happy from his time in Arizona in the off season, and a few other Maple Leafs players you’ve seen over the years of being neighbors with Mitch and Auston.

The amount of people suddenly becomes clear when Mitch gets down on one knee.

There’s crying, cheering, and on your part, happy confusion.

You’re not quite sure what you did for Mitch to think you were worthy of being here to share this moment with them. Not when you’ve spent most of the night worrying about the two videos you still have to finish editing on your laptop next door, the beginning of the fall semester already kicking you in the ass.

But then Steph is throwing her arms around you in a hug while you whisper a congratulations, and then she’s asking you to be in her wedding party and you stutter out a yes because 

_Holy shit. _They’re actually your friends, and it’s taken nearly three years of them living next door to you to realize it. 

Auston smiles at you when Steph floats away, nudging you with his elbow. “Thanks for keeping him entertained while I was gone.”

“Yeah.” You say, still a little dazed. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

Auston gives you a small smirk. “Babysitting Mitch is a big deal.”

“Big enough that I’m in the wedding party?”

Auston shrugs. “I’m in it too.”

“But you’re his best friend.” You point out.

Auston raises a brow. “But you’re his friend too? And Steph’s?” _And mine._ He thinks wistfully, but doesn’t dare say it aloud. 

“I guess I just didn’t realize how much I meant to them, is all.” You offer. “Being in someone’s wedding is a big deal.”

“So if I ask you to be in my wedding, you’re gonna have an existential crisis like this with Mitch?”

You know he’s teasing by the glint in his eye, but you frown anyway. “Are you getting married anytime soon?”

“Depends,” he licks his lips, giving you a sly smirk. “You offering?”

At that you roll your eyes, shoving him a little. His teasing did the job, because the tension leaves your shoulders and you end up giving him a small smile. “Guess I should go congratulate Mitch properly.”

Auston nods. “You do that. I’ll go grab you another drink.”

You disappear into the crowd of people, none the wiser to Auston as he smiles, watching you go.

~

You’re yawning when you step out of the elevator, eyes tired and sore from staring at the screen at your school’s video lab for the past eight hours. On the plus side, you finally finished your video midterm assignment a week ahead of schedule, so now you had plenty of downtime to study for your other courses. 

But on the down side, you were pretty sure a spell of vertigo was coming on, and you didn’t think you’d be able to live in anything but complete and total darkness for the next few days.

You head for bed immediately, ignoring the fact that it’s only eight at night, crashing into a peaceful sleep.

Your stomach wakes you up several hours later. It’s two in the morning, and you can’t be arsed to make anything for yourself, so you slip on some sweatpants, a hoodie, and slip into your slides, prepared to just head down to the convenience store on the corner.

Except, when you open your door, something falls through it and lands on your floor with an “oof!”

Eyes adjusting to the bright light of the hallway, you manage to make out Auston’s frame. He’s dressed in a similar fashion to you, probably to keep him warm from the cool air of the building’s AC, and the circles around his eyes are darker and more sunken in than normal.

It isn’t until you go to ask him what the hell he thinks he’s doing that you hear the sounds coming from their apartment. It’s not hard, with the walls being thin enough in the hallway and in your unit that you can make out what’s happening.

Steph is probably over, and her and Mitch are probably still caught up in the fact that they’re engaged, even though it’s been almost two months.

With a sigh, you bend down, helping Auston to his feet and dusting off his clothes.

“Sorry.” He says. “I just couldn’t sleep in there with all that going on.”

You shrug. “I get it.”

He looks at your wallet and keys, raising a brow. “Where were you planning on going at this time of night?”

“Corner store.” You say. “I went to bed before I had dinner and I woke up hungry.”

He nods, eyeing you up and down. In any other situation, you’d be self conscious under his gaze, but now, you point to the door over your shoulder. “Did you want to come with? I could use a snack buddy.”

“I don’t have my wallet.” He says.

“Unless everything you eat is wrapped in gold I think I can spare a couple bucks for your snacks, Auston.” You tease, pushing him toward the door. 

The five minute walk to the corner store is quiet, save for Auston humming to himself, a tune you know is familiar but can’t quite make out.

Once you make it inside, you wipe your shoes on the little rubber mat, encouraging Auston to do the same. 

“Pequeño!” 

You turn to the register with a smile. “Hi Mr. Delmar, got third shift this time?”

He shrugs. “Oh you know, gotta let Lena get her sleep. Hello Mr. Matthews!” 

Auston waves. “Hi Mr. Delmar.”

You head down the chip aisle and Auston follows, tapping you lightly on the shoulder. “Mr. Delmar works here?”

“He owns the place. He has plenty of employees, not including Lena, but he likes being hands on. Loves watching your games on TV.” You say, not looking as you point to the TV hanging on the wall, in clear view of the register. “He’s got people working tonight, he’s probably just making them do inventory in the back.”

“How do you know this?” Auston asks, and you raise a brow at the disbelief in his voice, grabbing a bag of Doritos. “How do you know so much about everyone in the building?”

You shrug. “I’ve been living here for awhile. Kassidy, Devon, Marcus, and I all went to undergrad together, moved in here like our sophomore years? And then we just stayed since we started grad school.”

“You did video in undergrad too, right?” 

You nod, finally finding the bag of Flamin Hot Cheetos and adding it to your arm. You look at Auston with a small smile to find him already watching you. The look in his eyes is one you haven’t seen before, but it makes you feel like there’s butterflies in your stomach all of a sudden. 

“Are you, um…” his gaze is too intense, so you cast your eyes down, tucking hair behind your ear. “Are you gonna get snacks too, or?”

He blinks, taking a step back. “Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah. Where’s the cookies?” 

You point to the next aisle, and Auston follows in the direction of your finger. It doesn’t take either of you much longer before you’re bringing your snack horde to the register, Mr. Delmar ringing it all up while talking to Auston about his upcoming game in Ottawa. You tune it out for the most part, not really awake enough to follow along or contribute much.

You hand Mr. Delmar the cash, telling him to keep the change like always, and Auston grabs the bag, both of you waving goodbye as you head out of the store.

The walk back to your apartment building is also quiet, including the elevator ride back to your floor.

The sounds don’t really seem like they’ve quieted down, so you nod toward your door, letting Auston know he can come in.

“You can crash on my couch.” You tell him, taking the snack bag from him and bringing it to your kitchen counter. “The extra blankets and pillows are still in the same place. You still remember how the bed works, right?”

“Yeah.” He calls. “Drop the back down, like a futon kinda.”

“Except better, because it’s from IKEA.” 

Auston laughs. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true! You know all my furniture came from there. That’s why it’s all so quality.”

Auston pads into your kitchen, sleepy smile on his face. “I’ll take my Oreos now.”

You both settle down on the couch with your snacks, watching a movie on TV before Auston’s eyes start to droop. You quickly drop the back of the couch down, placing your hand on his back so he doesn’t fall, gently lowering him to the bed. You grab the snacks from his hand, placing them on the coffee table before grabbing a blanket and pillow from your hall closet, placing a pillow under his head and a blanket over his body. 

When you head back to bed yourself, it’s with a satisfied smile and warm feeling in your heart, mind on the sweet boy sleeping on your couch.

~

The shower is the only thing that you’re craving in your mind, and maybe a whole pizza all to yourself to just devour. You’re not sure why you let Devon talk you into doing Soul Cycle with her, but you’re pretty sure you’re never going to let her talk you into it ever again.

You’re trying to grab your keys out of your gym bag as you approach your door, only to see Auston’s familiar figure with his back against it.

Except this time, he’s in his boxers and a thin shirt, socked feet tucked into his slides. His muscular thighs scream out to you, heat rushing south in your body, and you’re suddenly very aware you’re standing in front of a professional athlete in leggings and a sports bra, all of your rolls and curves on display for him to see.

And see them Auston does. He looked up the minute he heard you coming down the hall, his heart and breathing stopping altogether. He’d never seen you like this before, never seen you with your sports bra pushing your chest up and out, the smooth curve of your hips and waist, softness of your belly. The jacket you’re wearing barely covers you from the chill of fall outside, but there’s a little bead of sweat that trails from your neck, down your collarbone that his eyes follow till it goes between the valley of your breasts, and…

It isn’t until he glances back up at your face that he realizes you were both blatantly staring at one another, and he coughs, placing his hands in his lap and hopefully covering up what he knew was a growing hard on.

“Locked out again?” You manage to ask, trying to keep your composure.

He laughs nervously. “Uh, yeah. I was doing laundry. Forgot my key on the counter I think.”

“Is Mitch not home?” You ask, putting your key in the door.

“He is. He’s napping though. I would’ve texted him but I left my phone inside, too.”

You can’t help but giggle as you finally take in the hilarity of the fact that a professional hockey player is in his underwear in the hall. “What if someone saw you like this?”

His cheeks tint a little. “I was hoping if anyone did it would be you. But I’m pretty sure Kassidy saw me when she left ten minutes ago, and I think I scared her.”

You unlock your door, gesturing with your head for him to follow you inside. “Well get in here then, before you scare our whole floor.”

He wanders in behind you and plops down on your couch while you lock up. “If you give me a second I can grab you some sweats. I should have some that might fit you.” 

He nods, gesturing to the ivory envelope on your table.

“I see you got Mitch’s invitation.” 

The tone in his voice makes you smile. “Crazy isn’t it? They got engaged what, in August? And it’s barely November. But they’re getting married already in like two more months. How fast did they plan this wedding?”

“Mitch said they want a ‘Winter Wonderland.’ Whatever that means. So they’re gonna get married during the break we have around the All Star Game.”

You roll your eyes. “Winter Wonderland huh?”

“Yeah.” Auston replies, watching as you head into your bedroom.

You’re shuffling through your drawers, looking for a pair of sweats for him when he calls out “so you’re going to the wedding though, right?”

“Of course.” You call back.

“Are you uh, are you going to bring a plus one?”

You blink, swallowing. “Uh, I haven’t thought about it. Why?”

_Shit. _He didn’t really want you to bring a plus one, but he also wasn’t sure what he was going to say if you weren’t. “Well I was wondering. Since we’re um, both in the wedding party? Maybe we should both be each other’s dates?” He gets it all out in a rush, adding “To the wedding. Each other’s dates to the wedding” just in case he’s freaking you out.

You appear back in the doorway of your bedroom, sweatpants in hand and a smile on your face. “Yeah. That sounds nice.” 

He smiles back, wide and bright. “Really?” When you nod your confirmation, he tries to contain his excitement. “Alright. Sweet. I’ll tell Mitch.”

He goes to text him, but remembering that his phone is in his room, he frowns. 

You take it in stride, giggling. “It’s okay. I’ll text Steph for the both of us.” You toss him the sweatpants, placing a hand on your hip. “How much longer do you have for the wash?”

Auston checks his watch. “Maybe like twenty minutes?”

“Sweet. I’ll go shower, change, and then I’ll head back down with you. You can borrow my dryer sheets.”

“Thanks,” He says, pulling the sweatpants onto his legs. He stands, fitting the waistband on his hips, snapping the elastic against his skin for emphasis.

“Told you they’d fit.”

When you smirk at him playfully, Auston loses his cool for a second, smiling like an idiot as he watches you retreat into your bedroom again.

~

The boutique is way too expensive for your own tastes, but clearly money isn’t important for Mitch and Steph’s wedding. He loves that girl far too much to not give her what she wants.

The bridesmaid dress you’re supposed to be wearing is a pale lilac color, layers of lace and tulle and other fabrics you’re not familiar with. It’s a beautiful dress, and the seamstress is nice and sweet, helping you in and out of the dress, making marks on the fabric to make sure it fits the way you like.

You’ve been silent your entire fitting though, and Auston, who Mitch and Steph sent with you so he could get fitted for his suit, definitely takes notice. 

“Everything okay?” He asks as you step out of the dressing room. He finished his fitting first, offering to wait for you so you could head back to your apartment building together.

You nod, offering a weak smile that Auston sees right through. 

“You can talk to me about it.” He says, taking a chance and pushing his luck a little. 

“I don’t want to bother you with my problems.” You reply, and there’s something in the way that you say it that tugs on his heartstrings. He reaches out, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“You could never do something like that.” He says quietly.

You search his eyes for some kind of sign that he doesn’t really mean it, but you don’t find any, in fact, all you see in his eyes are the sincerity behind his concern, and it makes your head spin.

“I just…I’ve been really stressed these past couple weeks, you know?” You begin. “I mean, the fall term is almost up. Which means finals. Then there’s worrying about the spring semester, and then graduation isn’t far behind, and then I’d have to get a job and I just…I don’t know. I don’t think I can afford to spend time on anything but school especially when I’m terrible _at _school and I just feel like my head is going to explode.” 

All the words come spilling from your throat fairly quickly, so quickly you didn’t realize you began to get a little choked up until you’re trying to force the tears down. For all you don’t know about Auston and his career and such, you do know according to Lena he is ‘Auston Matthews,’ capital A and capital M, and even if you’re friends, you’re not about to cry in front of him like this.

When you finally get the courage to look at him, you’re a little shocked to see he’s already watching you. And instead of the pitiful look you expected him to give you, you see a small smile on his face.

“You’re smart. You know that?”

That…takes you by surprise.

“I mean,” you can see him considering your words carefully, trying to figure out what exactly to tell you. “I don’t know what that’s like, obviously, since I didn’t do college? But what I do know is that you’re wicked smart, and I’m sure you’re going to kill it. And if you ask me, I think this wedding will be a good time for you to let loose, you know? A break in the middle of the chaos.”

You stare at him, a little dumbfounded, but you end up smiling. “I…yeah. A break sounds good.”

“I know a wedding isn’t exactly the best break, or the most ideal, but there’s alcohol? And food? And I’m pretty sure cake is involved too, you know? So it’s not that bad?”

You nod. “Yeah, probably not.

“Plus, don’t stress about a wedding. If Mitch senses you stressing he’ll make sure you’re the first one to get drunk.” He grabs your purse from between you on the bench, placing it gently in your lap. “But for now, how about you and I go get something to eat? It’s kinda stuffy in here, don’t you think?”

You nod, smiling. He holds out his hand for you, and you take it, Auston lacing his fingers through yours, warmth encompassing your skin as electricity zips up your arm. You ignore it, trying not to smile like an idiot as you allow him to lead you out of the boutique.

~

You’ve finally hit a stopping point in your video final, and you hit save about ten times before you finally close your laptop with a sigh.

“All set?” 

You turn around in your desk chair, staring at Auston, who has his eyes glued to your TV. 

“I’m halfway done.” You stretch out your arms and back, sighing a little as they crack, relieving the ache. “But I could use a break.”

He checks his watch, then smiles at you. “Well, it is a little after midnight. And I could use a snack or two.”

“Don’t you have a game tomorrow?”

He shakes his head, already standing to grab both of your coats. “Nah, just practice. And Mitch is driving, so I’ll nap in the car in the morning if I’m too tired.”

You put on your boots, slipping your arms into the sleeves of your coat as Auston holds it out for you. “I know I don’t know much about your career, but I can’t help but feel like all the time you’re spending with me lately can’t be good for you.”

Auston laughs. “Nah, I think I’m fine. Besides, we’ve got plenty of season left.”

“Does it, uh…” you don’t want him to get the wrong idea, but you also want to know. “Does it bother you that I don’t go to your games or anything?”

Auston stops walking, the light from Mr. Delmar’s sign illuminating the side of his face. “What? No. Why would that bother me?”

“I don’t know. We’re friends, right? And you see what I do, with school and my videos, but I don’t get to see what you do?”

He frowns. “Do you want to go to a game?”

You shrug, staring at your feet. “I feel like I should.”

“Have you ever been to a hockey game before?” He asks. He tries to read you, to see where this is coming from, but you won’t look at him.

You shake your head. “I’ve seen them on TV with my friends, but I’ve never been in person.”

Auston laughs, gently placing a hand on your arm and leading you into the store. Lena waves at both of you from behind the counter, and you head down the chip aisle, Auston following close behind.

You both gather your usual horde of snacks, paying at the counter, Auston making small talk with Lena, before you both head back out.

Watching Auston interact with Lena, talking about hockey, makes you feel like it’s a sign that you do need to go to a game.

You don’t say anything till you’re outside, and you frown at him. “I feel like it’s not fair if I don’t at least go to one game. How else am I supposed to be a good friend?”

He sighs, stopping again, staring down at you. “Honey. Is that really what you’re worried about?” 

Your eyes snap to his face. _Honey. _He’s never called you that before.

“I just…I don’t know you outside of our apartment building.”

He sighs, breath coming out in a visible puff in the cold winter night. “Then go on a date with me.”

Your heart hammers in your chest at his words, jaw dropping in shock. “I…you…_what_?”

“Yeah,” he says, stepping closer. “Go on a date with me, and then if you still want to, I’ll save you some tickets to a game.” He bends his head a little, pressing his lips to your forehead in a soft kiss, lips still on your skin as he speaks. “If you want to get to know me outside of our apartment building, I’d say dinner and a movie is one way to do it.”

You can’t tell if you’re blushing because of the cold or because Auston just asked you out, but you can definitely tell you’re screaming on the inside. “Okay.”

He laughs, kissing your forehead again before wrapping an arm around you. “Alright. I’ll take you out tomorrow night. But for now we should get back inside, it’s freezing.”

~

Stephanie’s arms wind around your body, pulling you into a tight hug and nearly tipping you over in your chair. All the extra fabric of her wedding dress floats up around her as she sways you both from side to side. “Oh honey!” She exclaims. “Why the long face? Did you not like your dinner?”

You smile at her, rubbing her arm gently. “No, I’m okay. It was lovely.”

She frowns, taking the open seat next to you. “What’s wrong? Are you not having a good time?”

“No Steph, I am! Your wedding is absolutely beautiful.”

“Then why aren’t you having fun?” She frowns, playing with your curls. 

You shrug, trying to give her your best reassuring smile. “I’m just a little out of my element, that’s all.”

“But…you know mostly everyone here.” She says, looking around the room.

And it’s true. Because of all your involvement in her wedding party, and being friends with her and Mitch, you do know mostly everyone here. Her family and his family are completely lovely, and most of the guys you’ve met from the Leafs have been really nice, especially Patrick Marleau and his family. 

But it’s…well…”I know, I just don’t really feel like I fit in here, is all.” 

“Oh honey.” She says, placing a comforting hand on your arm. “Of course you do, can’t you see it?” She scoots her chair closer, smiling at a guest who you’re sure wants to talk to the bride, but she pays them no mind, focusing on you. “You fit in here, with all of us, with me, with everyone. Do you know why? Because the minute those two idiots moved next door to you, they brought you into our lives. And you fit right in.”

Steph smiles at you, looking at her husband who’s a couple of tables away. “You know Mitch used to tell me all the time how you were such a nice neighbor, a good person. How they invaded your space all the time and you never minded. It wasn’t till I met you that I realized they were right. You’re a great person, because it takes a great person to be friends with all of us.”

That makes you smile, but she’s not done.

“And then he told me about how close you and Auston got. When he got injured and had to stay back, and how you took care of him. And how much time he spends with you, aaand…” her voice trails off, looking over to where Auston is sitting with Willy and Kappy. “He told me about the little date you two went on not too long ago.”

You blush, staring at your hands. “It was…nice.”

“He likes you, you know.” Stephanie says. “Like, a lot. Mitch said he wouldn’t shut up after your date.” That brings a smile to your face. “But…Mitch also said you haven’t gone on another one?”

“I know,” you say sadly. “We just got busy.”

It’s true. You hadn’t been able to. You went on a date - dinner and a movie, like Auston had suggested - and it went amazing. It wasn’t awkward, you both had a great time, and that night, when you both got home, you and Auston spent about ten minutes making out on your couch. 

Okay, so maybe the date was more than “nice.”

But after that, the hockey season picked up for the team, and you had to finish video coursework for the remainder of the term. Then there were finals, and American Thanksgiving, so Auston went home, and then after finals, you went home to visit your family for Christmas and New Years. 

You gave him a quick goodbye and a kiss on the cheek before you left, giving him two Tupperware containers of your famous Christmas cookies - one for him, one for Mitch - and promised you’d see him when you got back.

What you didn’t know was that there was a lump in his throat when he took the cookies from you and words he’d been dying to tell you when you kissed his cheek, but he figured he didn’t want you stressing about him over your school break, not when he knew how badly you needed a break.

“Well,” Stephanie begin ominously. “I am the bride. And on the bride’s special day, she gets what she wants.” 

You raise a brow, about to ask her what she means when she suddenly stands, sauntering over to her new husband, grabbing him by the arm before she disappears into a throng of people. 

It’s a couple more minutes before the DJ takes the mic, announcing Stephanie and Mitch are going to start the couples dance, and inviting all couples to join them on the dance floor.

You narrow your eyes at her, and she just beams right back at you.

_That sly little-_

“Hey.” 

You turn, smiling softly when you see it’s Auston. You hadn’t spoken much since you got back into town, and the rehearsal dinner for the wedding had been too chaotic to have a private conversation. And other than the small talk you made today, you hadn’t quite thought of what you were going to say to him.

Looks like you’d have to think about it fast.

“Wanna dance?” He offers, holding his hand out.

You take it without another word, allowing him to lead you to the dance floor, his arms going to your waist automatically, your hands resting on his shoulders as you begin to slow dance.

He bends his head to your ear, speaking lowly so only you can hear him. “We’re sharing a room tonight, you know.” 

Your eyes bug out, but you try not to tense up in his embrace. “We are?”

“Mhm.” He says, thumb rubbing at your hip. “Mitch just told me.”

You flush, hiding your face against the lapels of his suit jacket. “Oh. That’s…”

“Not what you expected?”

“Well no,” you laugh. “But I’m not surprised.”

He hums, moving one hand to rub your back comfortingly. “How was your break?”

“It was good. Relaxing.”

“That’s good. I’m glad to hear that.” 

“How uh…how was hockey?”

He chuckles a little, fingers grazing the bare skin exposed by your dress. “Hockey was fine. Are you asking because you want to go to a game?”

“I’m interested.” You say. “I watched the game you guys had against Vancouver.”

“Oh yeah?” He asks, surprised. “What’d you think?”

“I don’t know much about hockey, but you and Mitch are obviously really good.”

“We do alright for ourselves I suppose.”

“‘Alright’?” You ask, pulling back to look at his face. “You had a hat trick that night, right?”

He shrugs. “It was an off night.” 

You hit him on the shoulder playfully, resting your head back on his chest. “I’d love to go.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Would you wear my jersey?”

You smile. “Aren’t I supposed to? Since we kissed, and went on a date?”

You can feel him smile before he presses a soft kiss to your forehead. “That’s the idea, yeah.”

“I feel like that’s so old school.” 

He laughs. “Would you prefer a letterman jacket?”

“Depends. Are we going steady?”

It’s meant to be a tease, but you can feel Auston’s arms wind tighter around you, pulling you closer. “Yeah babe, we’re going steady.”

Your smile is so wide you’re sure your cheeks are going to hurt in the morning, but you can’t stop. “We are? But you didn’t even ask me properly.”

The little playful growl he lets out is enough to let you let out a small giggle. He brings a hand around, placing a finger under your chin and tilting your head up to look at him. “You gonna make this difficult for me? Play hard to get, hm?”

“Is it working?”

He smirks, bending his head, and you meet him halfway in a heated kiss, body melting in his embrace. You don’t care who’s watching and clearly neither does he, his lips continuing to move against yours eagerly.

He eventually begins to pull away, heart beating loud in his chest when he asks “Will you go steady with me? Will you be my girl?” between kisses.

You manage out a nod and a quick “Mhm,” and at your acceptance, his hands lace with both of yours, pulling back and gesturing with his head toward the door. 

“Let’s go.” He says. As you leave the dance floor, you manage to pass the bride and groom, who when they see the two of you, let out a small series of cheers.

“That’s my boy!” Mitch exclaims.

“You’re a stud, bro. Congrats.” Auston replies, waving at them quickly before taking your hand again and leading you toward the hotel lobby.

“You ready to go upstairs? Or did you want to do hang out a bit more?”

You squeeze his head, nodding toward the elevator. “I’m ready when you are.”

~

You adjust the cap on your head, careful as to not move the tassel attached to it as you make your way from the stands toward where your family, Auston, Stephanie, and Mitch said they’d meet you. 

You make him out pretty easily as they all stand on top of a stone bench, Auston in his dress pants, those god awful Gucci shoes he insisted on buying, a nice polo, and sunglasses.

If he’s going for “incognito” or “discreet,” it’s not working, but no one seems to be paying him any mind as they focus on the throng of students, trying to figure out who belongs to which family.

You sigh in relief when you reach the group, Auston embracing you first as you melt into him. “I can’t believe I’m done.”

“I can.” He says. “Congratulations baby.”

When you pull back, he offers you the flowers and teddy bear Mitch had been holding onto for him, a proud smile on his face. “You didn’t have to do that, honey.”

He wraps an arm around your waist, guiding you toward where your family is waiting. “Of course I did. It’s not everyday my beautiful girl graduates with her Master’s degree.”

“Your boyfriend is such a smart man!” Your mother exclaims, hurtling past your father and wrapping you in an embrace.

Your parents flew in a couple of nights ago to be here for your big day, and Auston had offered to bring you to the airport to pick them up, and so he could meet them. He even paid for their hotel room - despite your protests - because he wanted them to be as comfortable as possible while visiting you.

They’d been thoroughly surprised when they saw Auston Matthews get out of the car, knowing exactly who he was even though you originally had no clue, and your parents had taken an easy liking to him, approving of him in five seconds flat.

You hug your mother and father, thanking them for all of their support and love. 

“Let’s go eat, and celebrate!” Your mother says. She whirls around and gestures to Mitch, Steph, and Auston. “You’re all invited, obviously, and you!” She pokes Auston in the chest. “Don’t even think about paying for it. This is our treat.”

Auston holds up his hands in surrender, mischievous smile on his lips.

Later that night, when you’re full up on champagne and steak and potatoes, when Mitch and Steph head back to 50-O and your parents are back at their hotel, you and Auston find yourselves alone in your living room.

Auston takes a look around your space, fingers playing with the tassel still attached to your graduation cap. “Hey honey?”

You hum, contently resting your head on his lap, eyes closed. 

“When’s your lease up?”

Your eyes open, staring at him inquisitively. “At the end of the year. Why?”

“Well, I was just wondering. Don’t you think me being in two apartments at once is a little unnecessary? And since my roommate has a wife and all, they’ve mentioned it to me that they wanna live together. And I already know how your couch works, so adapting wouldn’t be so hard?”

“Auston Matthews,” you begin, sitting up and staring at him, heart racing as you smile nervously. “Are you asking me what I think you’re asking me?”

He shrugs. “Do you think I could be your new roommate? Crash on your couch?”

Your jaw drops in disbelief. He’s asking to _move in with you._

A thousand feelings overwhelm you at once, but the most immediate and the strongest of them all is pure happiness. You climb into his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck. You pretend to think about it for a bit to mess with him, but he can already see the smile creeping back on your lips.

“What do you say, honey?” He murmurs. “You gonna let me sleep on your couch?”

You lean forward, lips brushing against his when you say “Why sleep on the couch when we have a perfectly good bed to share?”

He doesn’t reply, just closes the distance between you both, pulling you into a loving kiss.

~

You_ **loved**_living in apartment 50-N. You loved everything about your apartment. From the french double doors connecting your one bedroom to your living room, the one brick wall your bed lay in front of, the hardwood floors, the AC, your precious kitchen you spent weeks on trying to make it look like something Joanna Gaines would envy, to the hours you spent in IKEA trying to meticulously make your place look like something out of its catalog. 

You also loved the boy who had come in only years ago, making it a happy and loving home. You loved coming home to him with Taco Bell on the counter, or food from Mr. Delmar’s on the corner, or whatever dish Mrs. Pucci and Mrs. Velez made for you both that day. 

You were sad to see your apartment so empty, the movers having come in to take the last of the furniture this morning. 

Sighing to yourself, you absentmindedly rub your newly growing belly, taking one last look at the space you’d grown so much in.

“Babe? You ready?”

You turn, smiling at your fiancé and nodding. “Yeah. I’m just gonna miss it, you know?”

He nods, coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist, fingers playing with the engagement ring he put on your hand only months ago. “I know honey. But we’ve got a bigger space now, yeah? For you, me, and the little peanut on the way.”

“I know.”

“I promise we’ll come back and visit everyone at least once a month. And besides, they’ll all be at the housewarming party next week.”

“I know, but-“

“Honey. We can have the magic of your place anywhere we go. Right? You said it yourself. It’s not the house that matters, it’s us.”

His words seem to satisfy you enough. He takes your hand, leading you out into the hall. He shuts the door behind him, guiding you to the elevator.

You** loved **living in apartment 50-N. But you had a feeling you would love your new place with Auston even more.


End file.
